taylor



W. N. TAYLOR.

Making Oil Gas.

No. 20,177, Pa'nted May 4, 1858.

FH w e A UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE,

N. TAYLOR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ans-GENERATOR `specification of Letters Patent No. 20,177, dated May 4, 18,58.

To aZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, vWILLIAM N. TAYLoR, of the city and county o-f Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Retorts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- F igure 1, represents a perspective view of my retort with the side and door removed in order to show the arrangement of the interior. Fig. 2, represents an end elevation; and, Fig. 3, represents a plan of the same.

My improvements in gas retorts, relate to that class which is used in the manufaoture pf gas from animal and vegetable oils or ats.

These retort-s are generally partially filled with broken bricks, scrap iron, or other refracto'ry materials in order to promote the rapid decomposition of the oils by bringing them in contact with a large area of heating surface.

The oils are gradually fed into the retort and as they come in contact with the heated material and bottom and sides, are rapidly vaporized and decomposed and pass off in the form of gas to the gasometer. The gas thus generated as it is thrown off, carries with it to the gasometer, unless it pasess over an extended heated surface, portions of the oil in a highly volatile but still undecomposed state, by which means not only is a heavy loss experienced but an impure and ofi'ensive gas is generated. The evil is enhanced by feeding the oil irregularly and faster than the retort is capable of decomposing it.

The obj ect of my invention is to more perfectly decompose these volatile oils as are thrown off, and before the gas leaves the retort; and also to feed the material slowly, regularly, and in proportion to the capacity of the retort to thoroughly vaporize and decompose it; and my invention for effecting these objects consists First, in dividing the retort by-a series of movable partitions into chambers which communicate with each other at opposite ends of the retort, so that the gas as it is generated in the lower Chamber of the series is caused to circulate backward and forward, passing from end to end of the retort through these chambers, and over an extended heated surface, by which means the volatile oil that is carried oflI with the gas is decomposed, thereby increasing the ield of gas from the material, and also purifying the same.

, Second, in dividing, or extending across all of these chambers with the exception of the lower, one or more diaphragms of metal, punctured with small holes, or a fine wire gauze, in order to retard the passage of the gas through these chambers, `dlivide the volume, and bring it into contact with the heated metal.

By reference to the accompanying drawing the construction, arrangement and operation of my retort will be more' fully understood.

This retort consists of a rectangular or any other convenient form of box (A) which is divided into a series of chambers by means of division plates (B) connected with each other so that they can be all drawn out of the retort at the same time for the purpose of cleaning them. The communication between the chambers is at opposite ends and the gas passes into the chamber at one end, traverses the entire length of the retort, and escapes at the opposite end to the chamber next above. These chambers have extended across them at one end a diaphragm (C) of metal, punctured with small holes: any number of these diaphragms may be inserted in the chambers, or Wire gauze may be substituted for the punctured plates.

A siphon feeding tube (h) enters a projecting pipe (D) at the rear end of the retort, which connects with the lower chamber. In this pipe is a stop cock (f) the arm of which is connected by a system of levers (Z) cl) and links (c e) with a copper or any other metallic rod (a) whose expansion for each increment of heat is greater than that of the metal from which the retort is made. This rod rests upon and is attached to the retort at one end, and to the system of levers at the other. The change in the temperature of the retort causes the rod to expand or contract, and opens the feed cock a greater or less distance, admitting a greater or less amount of oil into the retort as its temperature and capacity to decompose it increases or diminishes.`

A door is provided to close the front of the retort when in operation. The lower chamber of the retort may be filled with scrap iron, broken bricks or any other refractory material.

The Vegetable or animal oils or fats are fed to the siphon pipe from another Vessel heated by the same fire which heats the retort, or the upper end of the siphon pipe may be enlarged to hold these substances. When the temperature of the retort is raised sufficiently high to decompose the fatty substances, the rod (a) expands so as toopen the cock and allow the melted fat to flow through the siphon into the retort, which on 1 its coming into contact with the heated material in the lower chamber is rapidly Vaporized and decomposed, and the gas passes off carrying with it a portion of the oil in a highly Volatilized state. The gas as it passes through the diaphragms and cham- -bers to the discharge pipe is divided by the diaphragms into minute jets, its whole volume brought'into contact with the heated metal of the diaphragms and exposed to the radiating heat of the chambersits Velocity is diminished Vso that it' is longer exposed to the heat of the retort, by which means the Volatile oils are entirely decomposed while the impurities are deposited on the diaphragms and sides of the 'chambers, thus I producing a greater amount of gas and of a purer quality than has heretofore been made.V

Having thus described my improvements in gas retorts,-what I claim and desire to secure by Letters4 Patent is:

1; The combination of the retort with a series of movable partitions connected so that all can be taken out together, and so arranged asl to divide the retort into a series of chambers through which the gas `circulates in its passage from the lower Vthe retort whereby the supply of material from which the gas is made to the retort is proportioned to its capacity to thoroughly decompose the same at all ranges of temperature.

WILLIAM N, TAYLoR.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, CHs. P. WANNALL. 

